Just A Minute
by hc.dbz.chickie
Summary: A possible interpretation of Videl and Hercule's relationship. Videl's perspective. Going to be a two-shot centered on her psychological transformation/evolution (this is very subtle in the story). Rated for a bit of language. I mean, c'mon. This is Videl talking. Pegged as hurt/comfort but may be interpreted as sightly angsty.


Just A Minute

I want this to be a two-shot. A sort of before and after of Videl's changing psyche.

I do not own DBZ or the characters. And this makes me no money. Boohoo me.

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It was just after the Cell Games and Hercule was in his bedroom. He knew that he wasn't responsible for saving the world, but with the real fighters not stepping up, he really didn't care. This would be the opportunity that he needed to promote his dojo and further himself and his daughter.

Hercule was practicing poses for the press. He barely heard a small knock and didn't even turn when his eleven year old daughter, Videl, entered.

"Daddy?"

He paused. Grunted a distracted, "Yeah, Sweetheart?"

"Daddy, could you help me with my math homework? I'm sort of stuck on long division."

Another distracted, "Sure Sweetie, just give me a minute. The press is coming later and I need to practice my photo-ops."

"Okay, Daddy. You promise?"

"Sure, sure. Of course."

The next day, Videl's teacher helped her with long division at recess after seeing her crumpled and many-times-erased homework assignment.

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It was now the spring after the Cell Games and Hercule was in the kitchen. He barely heard his eleven and a half year old daughter's shuffling footsteps come up behind him.

"Daddy?"

Hercule continued to chop vegetables for his high-protein veggie shake, to help him beef up for his next photo shoot, but gave his daughter a non-committal grunt anyways, "Yeah, Sweetie?"

"Is it almost dinner?"

Hercule moved on to the fruit and muttered, "Sure, Sweetie, what do you want?"

"Um, could we have spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Yeah, whatever you want."

"Promise, Daddy?"

"Yeah….Just give me a minute."

Videl still doesn't eat spaghetti and meatballs anymore….it reminds her too much of the burn she has on her thigh where she spilled piping hot tomato sauce when she tried to get it off the stove that night.

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It was spring again and Hercule was in the kitchen, perfecting his recipe for the new fruit smoothies they were going to offer at the dojo. His twelve and a half year old daughter stood in the doorway quietly, watching him. Finally she drew in a steadying breath and cleared her throat.

Hercule didn't seem to hear, so Videl spoke up, "Umm, Daddy?"

There was nothing, so she said a little louder, "Daddy?"

"Oh! Yeah, Sweetpea?"

"Daddy, you remember we have that fundraising bake sake at school this week, right? We're each supposed to bring something to sell, so that we can afford to help those kids that can't buy books."

"Yeah?"

"Uh, yeah. I thought cookies might be the easiest to make. They're not like cupcakes that take a lot of time."

"Uh-huh."

"So….will you help me make them?"

"Oh, yeah, of course Sweetie. As soon as I'm done here, give me a minute."

"O-okay…."

The next day, Videl tried to hide in the back of the bake sale, being as inconspicuous as possible. To this day, she still hasn't ever baked cookies. Didn't even know how….

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Another year and a half later, Videl sat in a tree watching her father through the window. He was in the dojo with a hundred or so families, trying to sell his program on their kids. She noticed one blond, an arrogant looking little boy. He caught her eye and smiled, making his whole demeanor seem to change. She smiled back.

A few hours later, she finally worked up the courage to go in, the crowd had thinned out and the few left were only milling around.

She approached her father quietly, her hands fidgety in her pockets.

She inquired, barely above a whisper, "Dad?"

After a few moments, she tried again, a little louder this time, "Dad?"

"Oh, yeah, Sweetpea?"

"Well, I kind of wanted your advice about something. I-I've been thinking about this for a while now and Mom's gone, so I thought maybe we could talk…."

"Yeah, Sweetie, whatever you want. I just need a few more minutes, there are still a lot of prospective students here!"

"Okay, Dad."

That was the day Videl decided to take up martial arts. If it was students her dad wanted, then he'd get the best damn one ever and she'd be in the spotlight.

Today she's the best crime fighter ever, but she never did get that advice on boys she was hoping for….

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TBC….


End file.
